Clamp for printing-plates.



.No. 873,736. PATENTED DEC. 17, 1907.

S. B. DITTMAN.

- CLAMP FOR PRINTING PLATES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. a, 1906.

W/TNEiSES 3 middle of the same. Fig. 6 is another modi- UNITED STATES PATENT oFmoE.

SAMUEL E. DITTMAN, or New YORK, N. Y'.

\ CLAMP FOR PRINTING-PLATES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL E. DITTMAN,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city, county, and State of New York,

5 have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clamps for Printing-Plates, of which the following is a description.

My invention relates to adjustable clamps for holding printing plates.

One of the objects of my invention is to produce a clamp which shall be simple and inexpensive in construction, efiective in operation, and permit of great pressure being applied without liability of any of the parts becoming injured or broken.

Another object is to provide a clamp whereby the'printing plate may be quickly adjusted with thegreatest degree of accuracy, and another very important object is to provide a clamp which may be easily taken apart for cleanin when the working parts become clogged with ink or other material, which frequently occurs durin the use of the clainp, and also to rovide a 0 amp which can be readily interc anged for another with a clampin jaw nearer to or further away from the p ate while the printing plate is on the press and without inlocking.

Another object is to provide a clamp with the jaw extending clear across the block so as to make a stronger jaw and one which will more securely hold the printing plate withp)ut liability of the jaw being broken from the loc l Other objects will appear from the hereinafter description.

" My invention is fully set forth in the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of the same.

. Referring now to the drawing, in which the same reference character indicates the same parts in the different views: Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved clampg. Fi 2 1s a section of the sameon the" line i of i s.-1 and 4, showing an edge of a printing ate engaged-by the clamp. Fig. 3 is a section on the same line showing the position of the parts as the adjustable block is bein removed from or inserted in the main bloc of the clamp. Fig. 4: is a topv plan view showing a printingplate secured to the printing bed by a number of my improved clamps.

- 5 is a lon it'udinal-section of an adjusta a block wit the clamping jaw about the Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed March a 1908. Serial 150.894.2271.

from that s own in t e drawing. T

' proper position when the jaw Patented net. 17, 1907.

fication showing the jaw on the block near the inner end thereof.

The art marked A on the drawing re re,- sents the main block of the clam w 'ch may be of steel or any other suitab e'mate 1 rial. The top of this block is recessed at B transversely-across the same, leaving the two upwardly projecting side walls C D. The inner face of the wall 0 is provided with a recess G into which fits one end E of a shaft or rod E. This end of the shaft may be .rounded and the recess C may be correspondingly sha )ed, as shown in the draw-' ing. The wall has an opening D therein into which fits the other end E of'the shaft E. This opening D is preferably elliptical in shape with the lon est axes thereof vertically of the ,block. he middle portion of the shaft E is provided with screw threadE which engages the screw thread provided in the hole Fiof the adjustable block F. The shaft near theend E may be formed with polyglonal sides E to receive a wrench by whic the shaft may be turnedto' adjust the block F lon itudinally. thereof. It is clear that the shaft at this point may alsov be provided with openings, instead of polygonal faces into whlcha rod ma be inserted to turn the shaft. The block is provided on its upper face and at its outer end with a to fit against the beveled edge G of the printing plate G.- The upper face of the block F is on thesame plane with the u per face of the side wall D'so that the printing plate may rest evenly thereon. The lower face of this block rests against the u lper face A of the recessed part of the block as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, and it extends trans- -jaw or hook F which'is under out or beveled versely of the block as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

H is a spiral spring surrounding the shaft E with one end'bearin against the inner face of the side wallD, an the other end against the-inner face of the traveling blockF. This spring exerts a pressure lengthwise of the shaft E and keeps the head E thereof seated in the recess 0 of. the wall 0. Another type of spring than spiral may be used if desired, and the 5 ring ma 7 .be' diflerentl placed he s ring may also be dispensed with, if desired, t it is useful, as before stated, to keep the and E of the shaft seated, and the shaft and jaw in F is not in engagement with the 'ntin plateG.

In Y 8 W 1 8 p t l n of parts assembled, with the jaw F in engageq ment with the edge of the printing plate. If 'it is desired to adjust the block and jaw, it

is onl necessary to turn the shaft E b "the use 0 a wrench or rod, whereupon the lock F will be moved transversely of the shaft in one direction or theother and. the proper ad, justment made. I This adjustment may be as minute or fine as desired, depei'lding on the pitch of the threads E on the shaft. T In Figs.- 5 and 6 I have shown the jaws F placed at different positions along the top yor rods Ecanying the replacing broken parts or for any other urcarrying-the traveling block and the ose, it is onl necessary to move the .s aft longitudina lyof the lock A, against .the tensionof the,s ring H, if the springis used, until the end E is unseated-fro t e recess C, when this end of the rod may be raised, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing, and the rod ig may be separated from the maln block the hole D into which fits the end E of the shaft E'being enlarged vertically as above described, so that the shaft E maybe tilted f in a vertical direction without causingv this end of the shaft to bind and ,removal'from the block. g

The shaft and movable block are assembled or connected to the main block by first inserting the end E of the shaft in the open- .ing D when the shaft will drop into position, the end E thereof being forced into the recess C by the ressure of the spring H, and the block F. Will rest on the.;u. per surface A of the recessed portion 'of t e block A, as

prevent its easy 7 shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

- ated; the traveling block with the jaw se- From the above description it will be seen I that my clamp is simple in construction, is

made offew parts, is easily and quicklyopercured in one place thereof maybe quickly removed from the main block so as to permit another traveling block with its jaws closer to or farther from the edge of the printingplate to'be inserted. The parts can be quickly separated from each other for cleaning and other purposes; without the necessity of using screw drivers, wrenches or other toolsother than the hand, and by extending the jaw which engages the edge of the'printing late clear across the face of the traveling bloc there is not as muchliability of the jaw being broken off and'the plate is more securely clamped by the jaws.

- ceive said movable block, said month e shafts evades I do not wish to confine myself to the exact Having now described my inventiomwhat I claim as new and desire to secure by-Letters Patent is 1. In a'clamp for a printing plate, a. main block, a movable block anda rod or pin to which the movable block is secured mterj mediate of the ends .of the rod or pin, the f main block haying a recess or ope to re being so connected to the main'hlockby the rod or pinas t0 Permit it' alidthe rodor-pin block so to be removed from the main block and con nected thereto a mentof therod-q H y a v,

2. .In a'clamp for, ii-printing plate. a main blo ck havingia recesstherein, a shaft, an admstable b shaft andv the block carried thereby being fitted in.the rehess inf the main blockgahd the shaft so connected to the main block that it may be removed therefrom by moving the shaft 10 itudinally and lifting it out of the mainbld s." Y I '3. In a clamp for a printing plate, a main block ha a' recess therein which forms two side will an openin in one of the Walls, a shaft 'havingjone end t ereof fittedlin said opening, and the other end bearing against t ,e-other wall, a block carried by the shaft, the shaft and'block being removable from the recess by moving the shaft longitudinally of its length and lifting it from the said recess.

f1. Ina clamp for a printing plate, a main 'block: having a recess therein, said recess forming two walls, an opening in one of the .upon 5 a longitudinal moveockcarriedby theshaft, the

walls and a recess in-the face of the other, a

shaft having one end resting in said 0 ening and the other end in the recess, sai shaft being screw threaded ona portion thereof, and an adjustable block having a jaw secured to saidrecessed portion, as and for the purpose set forth;

5. In a clamp for a printing plate, a main block having a recess therein, said recess forming two walls to the block, one of the walls having an opening therein, said 0 ening being lar or vertically than transverse y, the other wal having a recess on the inner face thereof, ashaft having one end fitted in said opening and the other end resting in the recess, a portion of said shaft being 'rovided with screw threads, an adjustab e block having an opening thereinfprovided with 6. In a clamp for a printingplate, a main block having a recess therein, said recess forming two walls to the block, f one of the vided with screw threads, an adjustable block having an opening therein provided with screw threads which mesh with the screw threads of the shaft, and a spiral spring surrounding that end of the shaft which is inserted in the opening in the wall,

one end of said sprin restin against the inner face of said Wafi and t 6 other end resting against the movable block.

7. In a clamp for aprinting plate, a main block, a screw removablj secured to the -main block'by an endwise movement of said screw, a movable block on the screw, and a jaw adapted to engage the edge of a printing plate, said jaw extending transversely across the top surface of said movable block.

8. In a clamp for a printing plate, a main block, a shaft or rod connected to said block, an adjustable block carried by the shaft, a jaw connected to the adjustable block, the

shaft being so connected to the main block thatthe adjustable block and the shaft may be removed from the main block b an endwise movement of the shaft, an another shaft nd adjustable block with a jaw difierently ocated thereon may be inserted in the main block by a longitudinal movement of said shaft.

9. In a clamp for a printing plate, a block made of one piece of metal, a shaft secured in said block, an adjustable blockcarried by the shaft, a jaw connected to said adjustable block and extend' transversely across the same, the said sh a f t being so connected 'to the main block that it may be removed therefrom without loosenin any of the parts by moving the said sha lo 'tudinally and lifting it out' from the main lock.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand at the city, county and State of New York, this 5th day of March, 1906.

' SAMUEL E. DITTMAN 

